Motor-vehicle.



No. 654,74l. Patented July 3|, |900. H. W. LIBBEY.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application led Aug. 24, 1899.) (No'Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nosEA w. LIBBEY, or BosfTou, MASSACHUSETTS.

Moron-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming 'part of Letters Patent NO. 654,741, dated July 31, 1900. Application led Augst'24, 18 99. Serial No. 723,346. `(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOsEA W. LIBBEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Mas sachusetts, have invented new and useful Im= provementsin Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to motorvehicles, the same residing particularly in the means for mounting the vehicle-bodyon theaxles and in anim proved construction ot' steering mechanism.

The invention consists of a pair of axles on which the supporting-Wheels are mounted, a vehicle-body, and semi-elliptical springs attached to and having Va sliding connection with said axles at theirends and engaging the body at intermediate points.

The invention also consists of an upright rod or standard secured to the center of `the forward axle, extendingthrough the fifth wheel and guided thereby, a steeringdlever, and connections between said steering-lever and the said upright rod.

The invention also Consists in certain details of constructionV and" combinations of parts, which will behereinafter more fully described and claimed. A

In the drawings forming part of this speciication, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a'vehicle embodyinglmy invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. y

Like reference-nu merals indicate like parts in the different views.

The rear wheels 1 of the vehicle are secured to the axle 2, and the front wheels 3 of the vehicle are loose upon the forward axle 4. The body 5 is supported upon the axles 2 and 4 in a lmanner which will be described later and has secured beneath "one of the seats thereof a battery 6, connected with a motor 7, preferably located beneath the other seat.

Suitable connections, as belts or chains 8,

are provided between the armature-shaft of the motor 7 and the rear axle 2. In this way the vehicle is driven from the motor 7. Itis of course obvious that any form of battery or` motor can be employed and that any means of connection between the motor and the driving-axle of the vehicle rnaile`siibstitiited for that shown.

' Secured to the 'body 5 and extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom are arms 9, which are connected at their extremities by a cross-bar 10. This cross-bar is engaged on its under side by an intermediate portion of a semi-elliptical spring 11, which is connected to the rear axle `2` by means of slide-blocks 12,"which permitfof the expansion and contraction of said spring and provide a resilient or `yielding support for the body 5. Stops 13, securedto the axle 2, are provided for preventing too Vgreat lateral movement of the blocks 12Yo'n said axle.

The foot'- board 14 of the body extends .slightly beyond the' forward axle 4 and is provided with an opening 15, through which extends anuupright rod or standard 16, secured `to' the front axle 4." The upper end of the rod 16 is covered and protected bya cap 17-,which `provides for the raising and depressing of the body 5 independent of the axle. A The rod 16 extends through the upper andlower parts 1S and 19 of the ifthwheel and is.. guided thereby. The upper part 18 ofthe ifth-wheel is supported upon curved rods or springs 20, secured to the under side of `the foot-board 14, and the lower part 19 of saidfiifth-wheel is attached to or formed integral with asemi` elliptical spring 2l, mounted upon the for- Ward axle 4 ina mannersimilar to the mount- 4 ing of the spring 11 upon the rear axle 2-that is, the spring 2l is provided with slide-blocks 22, which embrace the axle 4 and have their lateral movements limited by the stops 23,

xed to the axle 4. On the upright rodl,

above the fth-wheel, is a sprocket-wheel 24, around which and the sprocket-wheel, 25 passes a sprocketchain 26; The sprocket- Wheel 25 is secured to the lower end 4'of the steering-rod 27, having the crank or operatingleverr28 upon its upper end. f

From the foregoing description it willjbe seen that- I have provided a novel means. of resiliently su pportin g a vehicle-body upon the axles of the vehicle and novel means whereby a motor-vehicle may be steered from the seatof the vehicle. It will be understood,zof course, that the crank 28 on the steering-rod 27 is located within easy reach of `the operator on the front seat of the vehicle and that by turning said crank or handle in one direction or the other the movement therebyim- IOO parted to the steeringuod 27 will betransmit:4 saidbody ksurrounding said .y openingand inted through'thesprocket-Wheel 25, sprockgetf'y` closing the upper end-of said rod,la'rotatable chain 26, and sprocket-Wheel 24e tothe front vsteering-rod having a crank or handle thereaxle 4 ofthe vehicle. n c Y 'l on, sprocket-wheels mounted, respectively,

5 Having now describedmy invention, what on` Asaidupright and steering rods, and a 3 5 I claim, and'desire to secure byLettersPatsprocket -1 chain Connecting said sprocketent of the United States, is- A wheels, as and for the' purpose set forth.

l l.V In a vehicle, the combination with the ,5. Ina vehicle the combination with the frontand rear axles thereof and the body, .ofJ laxles and the body thereof, thejlatter having xo curved springs supporting saidbody,`and an openingV in its footboard, of a fth-Wheel 40 slides surrounding said axles and pivoted to connection between the body andthe forward said springs. n A i i axle, the lower part of said `ifth-yvfheel being 2. In a Vehicle the combination Withthe mounted upon aspring on said forward axle, axles thereof and the body', f se'nilellipticai yain upright id'securedto the forward axle eX- 15 springs on which said body is supported, and V'tending through said fifth-wheel and through 45 sliding blocksfon'said axles secured to the the opening in` said footboarda rotatable ends of said springs, 'as and for the purpose steering-rod'extending through the body and set forth.- i l 'y vhaving a crank or handle upon its upper end 3.l Ina vehicle the combination with the `v-within reach of theoperator,sprocket-wheels 2o axlesV thereof andthe body, of semi-elliptical mounted, respectively, on said upright and 5o springs-upon which the body is supported, steering rods, and a'sprocketchain connect slideeblocks on said axles secured to the ends ing said sprocket-Wheels, as and for the purof said springs, and stops for limiting the late, posev set forth.' f v p y eral'movements of said blocks, as and for the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set y 25 purpose setgforth. v V my hand `in presence of two; subscribing Wit- 5 5 4. Ina vehicle the combination with the nesses. axles and the body thereof, the latterhaving IIOSEA W. LIBBEY. 4an opening in its footboard, ofr an upright' Vitnesses:

rod secured to the forward axleand extendn l CEAS. STEERE, 3o ing through said opening, a cap secured to i. WINIFRED G. KERWIN. 

